Field service management has gone from a pen and paper industry to a full-blown digital space in the span of a few years with field service management software becoming the go-to solution for streamlining business operations. Using a mobile app allows a field service company complete visibility of the job status, real-time data, and entire business workflow. Today, we’ll give you 7 reasons that service technicians apps are not a trend, but an absolute must-have.
Mobile apps give field service technicians access to all the information they need
Picture this: a team of field workers arrive on the job site and need to start working on a project. One could argue that all they need is their tools but there’s so much more that goes into field service work. Let’s give you some scenarios:
- Field technicians need to check inventory with the back office
- They need quick access to customer history to see if this is a recurring issue they are fixing
- Field teams need to compile service reports to track the project’s status
- They need to collect information and business requirements in real-time
- Provide the customer with price quotes based on changes or delays
These are just some of the things a field technician must do as part of their job. The information they need to consume and collect varies and changes the moment they set foot on site. A mobile field service app allows them to have real-time communication with the head office and either request or send through info through the service cloud. Fast data collection, data entry, and access to information helps them save time and improve customer satisfaction.
Optimize route and schedule planning
Technicians leave the office in the morning and usually return once the sun goes down. The bulk of their work happens on the customer site which is why effectively scheduling their day is key to success. Using a field service mobile app allows both technicians and operations managers to track location, routes, and schedules.
Here at Frontu, our Fleet Complete integration gives users access to GPS fleet tracking, knowing where vehicles and field workforce are at all times. Technicians don’t have to worry about changes in schedule, a new service request, or roads being closed. The field service app will notify them and give them the new route and schedule they need to follow. No more phone calls unnecessary back and forth with the office. It all happens through the mobile app.
Accurate time tracking leads to better use of resources
The number one rule in business is that “time is money” – the field service industry is no different. What field service software helps your team do is account for every second they spend on the job and how they are spending it. Knowing where time is spent is the key to optimizing the workflow, fixing what can be fixed, cutting back on what is unnecessary, and investing in what can bring more value.
Field service apps are the gateway to a more efficient way of doing business for field service organizations.
Keep working without internet connectivity
When hearing about mobile field service apps, many of you might be wondering what happens when field service technicians are in a remote location where there is no signal. What happens then? Is the field service management software redundant? Internet connectivity has been known to be the kryptonite of mobile devices and third-party apps so how do field service apps differ?
The truth of the matter is that not all of them can overcome this hurdle. Frontu though was designed specifically to make life easier for field technicians and their customers which is why you don’t need the Internet to do your work.
The only thing you need is your mobile device and the Frontu field service app. The offline mode allows you to do use all key features and once you are connected to the Internet, your progress and changes will be immediately uploaded and updated on the cloud. Offline mode is one of Frontu’s most important features as it allows field technicians to present service reports and get the customer signature, without the Internet.
Not all field service apps are created equally which is why you need to do your software search before finding which is the better software for you.
Easily manage daily tasks
The volume and diversity of daily tasks of a field service management company are challenging to say the least. From tracking time, location, and productivity of field technicians, to putting together the job cost sheet, and gathering the accounting information of each customer there’s a lot on the plate of both operations managers and field technicians.
A field service app is a mobile solution that allows large and small businesses alike to simplify and streamline these tasks. With each technician having a field service app on their mobile devices you ensure that everyone is looking at the same information. No double bookings, no manual errors, no missed appointments, and total transparency about who does what.
Field service software bridges the gap of communication between head office and technicians on site.
Improve the customer experience
Every single successful company on the planet has happy customers that keep coming back for more. A field service mobile app is the ideal way to achieve that. It empowers technicians to offer a more reliable, customer-friendly service to the customer.
Any question or request they get asked, they can simply click on their mobile app, and retrieve it. No need to carry files, folders, pieces of paper or make the customer wait for long phone calls with the office.
The next generation of customer service is one where technicians act as customers agents on the spot. They do not simply do the work they were assigned to do but they nurture the relationship with customers. A field service app is not simply a tool that helps projects reach the finish line, but an investment that adds value in all different departments of the company.
Why Frontu is the best field service management mobile app
Choosing the best mobile field service app can be a tough challenge but we’re here to save you the trouble of multiple open tabs, comparison tables, and endless Google searches. Frontu has put together an end-to-end solution that covers the needs of modern field service workers with absolute precision. Frontu has a wide array of carefully designed features that allow you to manage your resources and access information with a few clicks.
Out mobile field service app lets you update progress on tasks in real-time, get notified and accept new nobs on the go, and get the client to sign an invoice or rate the service on the mobile or tablet on the spot. What’s more, you can capture, edit and send pictures of the work-in-progress to save yourself from having to explain something that can be simply shown with a pic.
